Tag Archives: sakhi

Shudh Uchaaran Importance (ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਉਚਾਰਨ ਮਹਾਨਤਾ)

Sakhi Bhai Gopala Jee (ਭਾਈ ਗੋਪਾਲਾ ਜੀ):

Upon the victory of the Second Hargobindpur(ਹਰਿਗੋਬਿੰਦਪੁਰ) battle, Guru Hargobind Sahib Jee had set up a congregation for the sangat(ਸੰਗਤ ) and the fallen Shaeeds(ਸ਼ਹੀਦਾਂ). After the war Gurusahib’s state of mind was one of gratitude and calmness. GuruSahib looked to the sangat and did Benti to all his sikhs. He asked if there is any sikh who can recite Sri JapJi Sahib Jee correctly(ਸ਼ੁੱਧ) with all the characters(ਲਗਾਂ) and full focus(ਇਕਾਗ੍ਰਤਾ). One of GuruSahib Jee’s sikhs, Bhai Gopala Jee obtained shudh santhya (ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਸੰਥਾ) from Guru Arjun Dev Sahib Jee himself. Bhai Sahib gets up and does Benti(ਬੇਨਤੀ) to Guru Hargobind Sahib Maharaj to give him the strength and blessing to recite Sri Jap Ji Sahib. Pleased, GuruSahib gave Bhai Gopala Jee a seat(ਆਸਨ) at the highest point of the congregation. Bhai Santokh Singh Jee in Sooraj Parkash (ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਤਾਪ ਸੂਰਜ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ) writes:

Upon hearing the Banee, GuruSahib was overcome with euphoria(ਵਿਸਮਾਦ). He was so pleased with the way Bhai Gopala Jee was doing Banee that he thought to himself, what could I possibly give in return for hearing Banee so beautifully? If I make him emperor of the world, thats temporal. What should be given to award such beautiful recitation of Banee?

With their heart full of love, Guru Hargobind Sahib Jee decided to give him the one kingdom that was eternal: Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Jee’s Throne (ਗੁਰਗੱਦੀ). Guru Sahib moved one of his knees to get up from their throne and give the Gursikh their seat(ਸਿੰਘਾਸਨ). At that point, JapJi Sahib had reached the final stanza (ਸਲੋਕ). After seeing GuruSahib get up, Bhai Gopala jee’s concentration was dissrupted, a thought(ਫ਼ੁਰਨਾ) crossed his mind that Guru Sahib was leaving. Bhai Gopala Jee thought if Guru Sahib did not leave, Guruji would gift him a royal horse from GuruSahib’s stable. Understanding BhaiSahib’s sudden thought, GuruSahib gets up at the completion of JapJi Sahib and hugs Bhai Gopala Jee. Guru Sahib tells him that ‘I was about to give you Guru Nanak Dev Jee’s crown had you not asked for a horse.’

ਧੰਨ ਜਨਮ ਅਬ, ਤੁਮਰਾ ਭਯੋ॥ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ, ਸਗਲਾ ਦੁਖ ਗਯੋ॥

GuruSahib was so pleased that he gave Bhai Sahib blessings (ਵਰ )after granting him the royal horse. Bhai Sahib’s life was blessed and he was free from the birth and death cycle. He was liberated from all his sorrow and pains in the physical and afterlife.

ਜੋ ਤੁਮ ਮਨ ਮੈ, ਇਛਾ ਧਾਰੋ॥ ਸੋ ਲੇਵੋ; ਨਹਿੰ ਦੇਰ ਬਿਚਾਰੋ॥

Guru Sahib goes on further to say that any wishes that you may ever have will come to fruitation instantly.

The importance of doing Shudh Banee cannot be understated. If GuruSahib himself was about to give his throne(ਗੁਰਗੱਦੀ) based on the correct recitation of Bani, imagine how much significance reciting Shudh Banee holds.

ਬਾਣੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੂ ਹੈ ਬਾਣੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਬਾਣੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਾਰੇ ॥ The Word, the Bani is Guru, and Guru is the Bani. Within the Bani, the Ambrosial Nectar is contained. ਗੁਰੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਕਹੈ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਜਨੁ ਮਾਨੈ ਪਰਤਖਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਿਸਤਾਰੇ ॥੫॥ If His humble servant believes, and acts according to the Words of the Guru's Bani, then the Guru, in person, emancipates him. ||5||

Bhai Gurdaas Jee:

Guru Arjun Dev Sahib Jee had given respect to Bhai Gurdaas Jee’s Banee calling it the key to opening the treasure of Guru Granth Sahib Jee. In Bhai Gurdaas Jee’s Kabits (poems), there is one that deals with the importance of Shudh Ucharan and each individual character.

ਜੈਸੇ ਲਗ ਮਾਤ੍ਰ ਹੀਨ ਪੜਤ ਅਉਰ ਕਉ ਅਉਰ ਪਿਤਾ ਪੂਤ ਪੂਤ ਪਿਤਾ ਸਮਸਰਿ ਜਾਨੀਐ ॥

If a word is not pronounced with the proper characters(ਲਗਾ ), it loses meaning and becomes incoherent. Its like calling a father the son, or a son the father both in pronounciation(replacing the sihari(ਿ) with Dolankre(ੂ) and literal meaning.

ਸੁਰਤਿ ਬਿਹੂਨ ਜੈਸੇ ਬਾਵਰੋ ਬਖਾਨੀਅਤ ਅਉਰ ਕਹੇ ਅਉਰ ਕਛੇ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਮੈ ਆਨੀਐ ॥

Just like a human without sense and intelligence is called insane, whatever they intend to say with their heart comes out as something completely different when they choose to speak.

ਜੈਸੇ ਗੁੰਗ ਸਭਾ ਮਧਿ ਕਹਿ ਨ ਸਕਤ ਬਾਤ ਬੋਲਤ ਹਸਾਇ ਹੋਇਬਚਨ ਬਿਧਾਨੀਐ ॥

Just like a mute person cannot say anything infront of an educated crowd, when they try to say something, people ridicule and laugh at them

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮਾਰਗ ਮੈ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਥਕਤ ਹੁਇ ਲਗਨ ਸਗਨ ਮਾਨੇ ਕੈਸੇ ਮਾਨੀਐ ॥੨੬੪॥

On the path of a Gurmukh, there is no place for Manmukhs, they cannot keep up. Just like people who induldge in worldly pleasures cannot realise the true path.

In that same manner, if these characters (ਲਗਾਂ) were not important to pronounce, why would they have been written in Banee? They all serve a purpose just like Bhai Sahib states.

ਕੋਟਨਿ ਕੋਟਾਨਿ ਛਬਿ ਰੂਪ ਰੰਗ ਸੋਭਾ ਨਿਧਿ ਕੋਟਨਿ ਕੋਟਾਨਿ ਕੋਟਿ ਜਗਮਗ ਜੋਤਿ ਕੈ ।

Praising millions of millions of beautful, blissful and natural objects

ਕੋਟਨਿ ਕੋਟਾਨਿ ਰਾਜਭਾਗ ਪ੍ਰਭਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪੁ ਕੋਟਨਿ ਕੋਟਾਨਿ ਸੁਖ ਅਨੰਦ ਉਦੋਤ ਕੈ ।

Praising millions of millions of kingdoms, Honourables and various feelings of happiness

That same praise is next to nothing when it comes to Banee. The praise to see Banee with your eyes (ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਦਰਸ)and to hear Banee with your ears and see all the characters (ਸ੍ਰੋਤ ਦਰਸ) is not possible. You just have to bow down and give up all attempts to describe its praise.

In that same manner, it is impossible to see Gurbani inside unless all the characters (ਲਗਾਂ) are being pronounced. The importance of articulating all the characters(ਲਗਾਂ) is more important when the Banee is being listened to.

The importance of Shudh Ucharan with all the ਲਗਾ was heavily favoured by Sant Baba Gurbachan Singh Jee. Mahapursh loved everyone who recited Banee with all the ਲਗਾ. One time when the Jatha was at Nabha Sahib (ਨਾਭਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ), Bhai Kapoor Singh Jee, a Singh in the jatha began to argue with Sant Baba Gurbachan Singh Jee. All the Singhs that were sitting beside Mahapursh began to get angry at the tone in which Bhai Kapoor Singh Jee was speaking. As soon as Bhai Sahib leaves the room, Santji began to smile. All the Singhs were awestruck what just transpired and how Santji is reacting. Sant Baba Gurbachan Singh Jee looks at all the Singhs and says ਮਸਤਾਨਾ ਉਚਾਰਨ ਬੜਾ ਲਗਾਂ ਲਾ ਕੇ ਸ਼ੁੱਧ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ (This Singh’s recitation of Banee and its characters is very accurate).

When Baba Jaswant Singh Jee (BhagatJee) tells this story, he relates to the dealings that Vadde Mahapursh(ਵੱਡੇ ਮਹਾਂਪੁਰਸ਼) had with everyone. In Jatha, highest order was given to Guru Banee jee Sahib.

Sadh Sangat ji, in the past I have spent time learning santhya from a traditional santhya teacher, as well as from a mahapursh, and I have taken a university Punjabi course. Out of all these methods, das has found the method of santhya taught through Gursevak.com to be the easiest, the quickest, and the most effective in developing shudh uchaaran. Please do seva of spreading knowledge of this method to others so that they may benefit. As you can see from the above post, it is an immense seva.

Gurbani is the embodiment of the Guru
And the Guru is the embodiment of Gurbani
In the whole of Gurbani is contained the nectar
If the attendant acts upon what Gurbani enjoins
The Guru in person saves him
banee guroo guroo hai banee vich banee amrit saaray.
gur banee kahai sayvak jan maanai partakh guroo nistaaray.
(Natt 4th Guru, page 982)

The Guru is the word
And the word is the true Guru
The holy word shows the way to emancipation
satgur bachan bachan hai satgur paaDhar mukat janaavaigo.
(Kanra 4th Guru, ang 1309)
O the disciple of the Guru,
Know that the Guru’s hymns are perfectly true.
God the creator himself causes
The Guru to utter them with his mouth
satgur kee banee sat sat kar jaanhu gursikhahu har kartaa aap
muhhu kadhaa-ay.
(ang 308)

Dhan Sahib Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was on their travels, when they came across a humble servant of the lord who had nothing but a little mud hut to live in. Guru Sahib and Bhai Mardhana Ji decided to grace the humble Gursikh with their presance, agreeing to reside at the hut for the night. This Gursikh was most pleased, he had little to eat in the house, but prepared what he did have for Guru Ji – Bhai Mardhana Ji felt a little sad, knowing this humble servant had very little – and eating out of it.

Guru Sahib knew this and told Bhai Mardhana not to worry, we must live in the will of Vaheguru. The Gursikhs humblessness and love was his everything.

Once they had finished their langar, Guru Sahib looked deep in thought, before asking Bhai Mardhana ji to break the little mud plates they had ben eating on. Bhai Mardhana Ji looked confused, but led a sat-bachni lifestyle and agreed to what Guru Sahib was saying. The Gursikh agreed saying “I’m am your humble slave, whatever you wish, you should do”. So Bhai Mardhana Ji proceeded to break the few belongings the Gursikh had.

The following day, Guru Sahib arose and advised the Gursikh that they would need to continue with their travels. The Gursikhs could not bear the thought of his Guru leaving his home and asked Guru Ji if he could walk some distance with them, and at least spend a little more time in their presance. Guru Ji agreed, and the humble Guriskh followed them on their journey for a very short while.

Before they left their home, Guru ji, again after some deep thought asked Bhai Mardhana Ji to destroy the little mud hut of the Gursikh, at this point, Bhai Mardhana ji questioned Guru Ji and asked why he should destory what little this humble slave had. The Gursikh turned to Bhai Mardhana Ji with pleading eyes and said “Please, do as my Guru say’s – whatever hukam they give you, just adhere to it. Nothing here is mine, it is all Guru Ji’s please” – his pleading came to use and Bhai Mardhana grudgingly proceeded to destory the mud hut.

Guru Ji, Bhai Mardhana Ji and the Gursikh the continue a little of their journey. As night began to fall. The Gursikh advised Guru Ji that he should now be getting back to what little was left of his hut. Guru Ji gave him hukam to do so and blessed the Gursikh for his seva over the course of the night.

As the Gursikh returned to the place where his home used to be, he saw what he considered the blessing of Maharaj Sahib Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. As he circled what used to be his home, he noticed a little two foot wall remained – thinking that Bhai Mardhana ji did not complete the task thoroughly he began breaking down the last of the wall….

As he broke down bit after bit, he noticed the ground beneath becoming weaker and seperating, beneath those two foot walls lay a gold mine… This humble servent, amazing Gursikh had been living on a goldmine without knowing about it. Guru Ji’s blessings came in such a disguise, that far from destory everything this humble being had, they in fact gave him more than he ever imagined having…

This is the beauty of our Guru Ji’s blessings – we are all living on Gold mines without actually knowing it. If we, and me especially, lived the life whereby we adhered to every one of our Guru Ji’s hukams, then we too would be rewarded with a gold mine each…

How humbleness, seva, and piyaar can lead us to the most amazing riches in the world – our Guru Ji’s blessings…